Heerup Museum

Henry Heerup – a Danish artist in a class of his own!
With his unique idiom, artistic qualities, narrative joy and creative drive, Heerup quickly became part of the Danish art scene and was known and loved by a broad cross-section of the Danish population. Heerup distinguished himself through his special ability to master many forms of expression and is particularly known for his ability to treat life’s great existential themes in a simple and present way.

The artist’s life and work
The Heerup Museum houses a unique collection of Heerup’s paintings, graphics, drawings and sculptures. Some personal effects from Heerup’s study are also part of the collection, and personal belongings such as photos, letters and tape recordings are therefore part of the museum’s narrative about the artist’s life and work. Through special exhibitions and changing displays of the museum’s own collection, many different facets of Heerup’s art – and his life as an artist – are presented. Love, family and the garden in Vanløse were the great sources of inspiration for Henry Heerup.

Heerup, the art academy and CoBrA
Henry Heerup grew up in Nørrebro in Copenhagen. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1927 to 1932. Internationally, Heerup made his mark primarily as a member of CoBrA from 1949, but also with exhibitions in Venice, Paris, New York, Amsterdam and the Scandinavian countries.

Heerup and Rødovre
It is no coincidence that the Heerup Museum is located in Rødovre. Heerup created most of his art in Rødovre, where he had his studio from 1946. It was therefore natural that his widow, Marion Heerup, donated the artist’s own collection to this town. The museum is built adjacent to Rødovregaard, the town’s last large farm from the old railway station town. Architect Bernd Kjelland was responsible for the design of the museum, which is beautifully situated down towards Damhusengengen. The architect has worked especially with the way light enters the museum: The cold light from the north and the warm rays from the south are mixed in a special glow that falls into the museum’s halls.